'Love is Blind' Must Classify Its Cast as Employees, Says Labor Board

A woman stands behind a backlit screen, seen from a room decorated with a red carpet, handing Edison bulbs, and candle displays, in 'Love is Blind' season 7.

(Image credit: Courtesy of Netflix)

published 12 December 2024

Love is Blind is facing a new challenge against its labor practices, in a complaint that could affect the entire reality TV industry.

On December 11, 2024, the Minnesota regional office of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) issued a complaint against the hit Netflix reality TV show, stating that it misclassified the series contestants as participants when they should be considered employees. Categorizing the cast as employees would provide them federal legal protections, including the right to unionize.

The complaint against Love is Blind's production companies, Kinetic Content and Delirium TV, LLC, also says that the show "committed several labor violations, including unlawful contractual terms related to confidentiality and noncompete provisions," as reported by The New York Times.

A man kneels in front of a blue wall in a 'Love is Blind' pod. — A cast member gets down on one knee to propose, in a *Love is Blind* pod.

The NLRB complaint is a major development in the challenges the reality juggernaut—which follows couples as they fall in love and get married "sight unseen"—has faced behind the scenes. Several former cast members have filed lawsuits against the series, with allegations raging from "inhumane working conditions" and unfair pay to "intentional infliction of emotional distress." Kinetic and Delirium have steadily denied accusations and defended their practices over the past few years, as Love is Blind has risen in popularity to become a regular cultural phenomenon.

The NLRB began investigating Kinetic and Delirium's production standards after two former Love Is Blind cast members (season 5's Renee Poche and season 2's Nick Thompson) submitted complaints to the labor board.

In addition to Love is Blind's legal battles, the complaint is also a pivotal turn in the ongoing "reality reckoning," as former cast members of franchises from Real Housewives to Vanderpump Rules have spoken out against the lack of labor protections for both reality TV personalities and below-the-line workers, who primarily work as freelance laborers.

Four women (Tara Zafar, Ally Dawson, Yenny Arisizabal, Hannah Jiles) walk down a hallway and prepare to enter the pods, in episode 701 of Love is Blind. — Female contestants prepare to enter the *Love is Blind* pods.

As for the next steps, according to the New York Times, "Complaints are issued after a labor board regional office concludes that there is merit to accusations that have been made against an employer. They are then litigated before an administrative law judge, who will determine whether the employer has violated the law. The employers could appeal a decision to the national labor board in Washington."

Neither production company has shared a statement responding to the complaint at the time of publishing. This piece will be updated to reflect their response upon release.

Netflix—which streams the show but is not listed in the complaint—has also yet to respond.

Love is Blind season 8 is set to premiere on Netflix on February 14, 2025.

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Quinci is a Culture Writer who covers all aspects of pop culture, including TV, movies, music, books, and theater. She contributes interviews with talent, as well as SEO content, features, and trend stories. She fell in love with storytelling at a young age, and eventually discovered her love for cultural criticism and amplifying awareness for underrepresented storytellers across the arts. She previously served as a weekend editor for Harper’s Bazaar, where she covered breaking news and live events for the brand’s website, and helped run the brand’s social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Her freelance writing has also appeared in outlets including HuffPost, The A.V. Club, Elle, Vulture, Salon, Teen Vogue, and others. Quinci earned her degree in English and Psychology from The University of New Mexico. She was a 2021 Eugene O’Neill Critics Institute fellow, and she is a member of the Television Critics Association. She is currently based in her hometown of Los Angeles. When she isn't writing or checking Twitter way too often, you can find her studying Korean while watching the latest K-drama, recommending her favorite shows and films to family and friends, or giving a concert performance while sitting in L.A. traffic.

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